Representatives from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) went to Capitol Hill earlier this month to garner support for ASTA’s top legislative priorities to promote and protect the travel consultant profession and the travel industry overall.

Among the top issues that ASTA brought to Congress were: opposing the Transparent Airfares Act; facilitating comparison shopping by providing consumers with full access to ancillary services and fees when airlines unbundle their fares; ending discriminatory taxes on car rentals by supporting H.R.2543; and increasing international travel to the U.S. with initiatives such as the “Jobs Originated Through Launching Travel Act.”

“ASTA’s primary role is to promote and defend the agency community,” said Zane Kerby, ASTA’s president and CEO. “Increasing our visibility with key lawmakers and regulators who shape our industry is an essential activity. Every ASTA member segment — from large corporate agency owners to independent operators — was on hand to put a face and voice to our industry’s issues.”